Container filling apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for continuously filling containers with particulate material. The apparatus has a vibratory feeder pan with a longitudinally elongated feed slot. The slot is formed by the spaced lower edges of a pair of transversely inclined lower feed surfaces. A horizontal upper feed surface has a pair of diverging diagonal distributing edges which each overlie one of the lower feed surfaces. Particulate material is distributed along the length of the lower feed surfaces by the distributing edges and directed through the feed slot by the lower feed surfaces in a longitudinally uniform manner when the feeder pan is longitudinally vibrated.

United, States Patent Zittel et al.

[ CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS [75] Inventors: David R. Zittel, Columbus;

Fortunato Ajero, South Milwaukee, both of Wis.

Hughes Company Inc., Columbus, Wis.

Filed: May 3, 1973 Appl. No.: 356,939

[73] Assignee:

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,587,674 6/1971 Adkin 141/134 7 m1 3,834,431 [451 Sept. 10,1974

Primary Examiner-Houston S. Bell, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmTheodore J. Long; John M. Winter [5 7] ABSTRACT Apparatus for continuously filling containers with particulate material. The apparatus has a vibratory feeder pan with a longitudinally elongated feed slot. The slot is formed by the spaced lower edges of a pair of transversely inclined lower feed surfaces. A horizontal upper feed surface has a pair of diverging diagonal distributing edges which each overlie one of the lower feed surfaces. Particulate material is distributed along the length of the lower feed surfaces by the distributing edges and directed through the feed slot by the lower feed surfaces in a longitudinally uniform manner when the feeder pan is longitudinally vibrated.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIEmEnsEPw M 3.834.431v SHEET 2 OF 2 1 CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to container filling apparatus, and more particularly to machines having vibrating feeders for continuously filling containers with particulate materials.

2. Description of the Prior Art Various types of filling machines have been developed for continuously filling containers with particulate materials, and particularly food materials such as fruits and vegetables. One such filling machine, which is described in co-pending application Ser. No. 233,492, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,837 employs a vibrating feeder pan having a horizontal feed surface with an elongated feed slot which extends longitudinally above a moving line of containers. The product being filled is conveyed longitudinally along the horizontal feed surface by longitudinally vibrating the pan. It is desirable to feed product into the containers along the entire length of the feed slot to permit the containers to be conveyed and filled beneath the elongated feed slot at high speed.

Plows employed above the feed surface crowd the product transversely toward the sides of the feed slot as the product is advanced along the surface by the longitudinal vibrations. However, it has been found desirable to have longitudinally uniform feed conditions along the entire length of the slot to provide for a controlled, uniform, high speed fill of each container without risk of underfill, and the plows do not provide the desired longitudinal uniformity of feed.

An important requirement for commercial filling machines is the capability of uniformly filling containers in a high speed, continuous manner, without any unlawful underfill or substantial overfill. One common method of complying with that requirement is to initially overfill all containers to insure that there will be no short fill in any one container, and then to shake-out or otherwise eject the excess fill from each container to achieve the level of fill desired. Examples of such equipment are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,719,661, 2,775,268, 2,937,670, 3,298,404 and 3,556,172, which illustrate various means for removing excess product from containers. Such machines must necessarily return or recycle the excess product removed from the containers back to the filling mechanism for refilling in subsequent containers. However, if the returned product is simply recycled with product from the primary product source and directed into containers, a given fraction can again be expected to be removed as excess fill and recycled. Accordingly, it is possible in such circumstances that certain product particles may be recycled again and again over an extended period of time. Where certain food products are involved, such repeated recycling has been shown to result in serious undesirable product deterioration.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,172, previously identified above, provides a separate feeder in advance of the primary filling station to feed returned spillage into empty containers upstream from the main filling station so that the returned spillage will be the first product received by the containers and will not likely be subsequently removed from the upper portion of the containers as excess fill. However, such a machine requires an additional separate feeding mechanism which increases the cost and complexity, operating variables and maintenance of the machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Our improved filler machine employs a two stage feeder pan which automatically provides substantially uniform feeding conditions along the entire length of an elongated feed slot. The feed slot is defined by the spaced lower feed edges of a pair of opposed transversely inclined lower feed surfaces. An upper feed surface has a pair of diverging diagonal distributing edges, each of which overlies one of the lower feed surfaces.

A supply hopper provides the primary supply of product to the feeder pan. The supply hopper has a discharge gate which meters a uniform flow of product to the feeder pan upper feed surface.

. As product in the form of particulate material from the supply hopper advances longitudinally along the upper feed surface in a uniform manner due to longitudinal vibration of the feeder pan, the product is uniformly distributed by the diagonal edges along the length of the lower feed surfaces. The product is then directed transversely toward the lower feed edges and through the feed slot by the longitudinal vibrations of the filler pan and gravity to provide a substantially uniform feed along the entire length of the feed slot. The longitudinally uniform product feed permits the containers to be filled progressively along the length of the feed slot withminimal spillage and minimal required overfill.

A return pan underlies the container conveyor to receive any excess product which is not received by the containers during filling, or which is removed from the containers by conventional means to prevent overfill and return it to a rotary conveyor. The rotary conveyor elevates and discharges the returned product into a return hopper which directs the product back onto the feeder pan in longitudinal alignment with the feed slot. The returned product together with product from the primary supply hopper is then fed longitudinally to the upstream end of the feed slot for direction into the lower portions of containers being filled to avoid further recycling of the returned product.

It is an object of our invention to provide a filling machine with a vibratory feeder which provides a substantially uniform product feed along the entire length of a longitudinally elongated feed slot positioned over a longitudinally extending container conveyor.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a filling machine having means for receiving excess product which escapes or is ejected from containers during the filling operation and returning said excess product for delivery into the lower portions of containers to avoid further recycling.

Other objects, features and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention has been selected for exemplification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially schematic side view of our invention, with a portion of the apparatus in section to illustrate the interior thereof.

FIG. 2 is a section view of our invention taken along section line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section view of the feeder pan of our invention taken along section line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a section view of the feeder pan of our invention taken along section line 4-4 of FIG. 3.-

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, our container filling apparatus is generally represented by reference number in FIG. 1. Our container filling apparatus 10 has a lower frame 11 which supports a longitudinally extending container conveyor 13 for conveying a multiplicity of containers 14 along a longitudinal path in a continuous manner, and an upper frame 12 for supporting a longitudinally extending feeder pan above said container conveyor 13.

In addition, a vibrating return pan 38 is supported beneath the container conveyor 13 by the lower frame 11 of the filling apparatus 10 to receive product which is not received by the containers 14 during the continuous filling operation, or which is ejected from the containers to remove overfill, and returns the product so received to a rotary conveyor 43 which elevates the returned product and discharges it back into a return hopper 48 which in turn directs it onto the feeder pan 20, as will be described more fully at a subsequent point in this description.

The product in the form of particulate material is supplied to our filling apparatus 10 by any conventional means such as a supply chute 15, which may not be part of our apparatus 10. The supply chute l5 empties into a product hopper 16 which is supported by the upper frame 12 in a stationary manner. The lower end 17 of the product hopper 16 is open to permit the product to flow out of the hopper 16 onto the receiving end 21 of the feeder pan 20, shown in FIG. 1. An adjustable metering gate 18 is pivotally mounted on the downstream side of the product hopper 16 to control the rate of flow of the particulate material from the product hopper onto the feeder pan 20. An adjusting handle 19 is provided for ease of pivoting the metering gate 18 to raise or lower the lower edge 18a of the gate to respectively increase or decrease the flow of product on the upper feed surface 22 of the feeder pan 20. The lower edge 18a of the metering gate 18 is preferably substantially parallel to the upper feed surface 22 to provide for a substantially uniform distribution of product thereon.

Our two stage elongated feeder pan 20 has, in addition to the substantially horizontal upper feed surface 22, a pair of transversely inclined lower feed surfaces 27 and 28. As best shown in FIG. 4, a pair of diverging diagonal distributing edges 23 and 24 partially define the discharge end 26 of the upper feed surface 22. Each of the diagonal distributing edges 23 and 24 overlies one of the transversely inclined lower feed surfaces 27 and 28 for a substantial portion of the length of each said lower feed surface. The transverse distributing edges 23 and 24 may intersect near the middle of the feeder pan 20, or they may be separated by a short transverse distributing edge at the center of the feeder pan as shown in FIG. 4.

The lower feed edges 26a and 27a of the transversely inclined lower feed surfaces 26 and 27, respectively,

are spaced apart in parallel relation to define a longitudinally elongated feed slot 29 having an upstream end 29a and a downstream end 29b and extending directly above the longitudinal axis of the container conveyor 13. FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the position of a multiplicity of cans as they would be positioned beneath the feed slot 29 at a given moment as they are being conveyed by the container conveyor 13. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lower feed surfaces 26 and 27 are preferably of two-piece construction to permit the lower feed edges 26a and 27a to be raised or lowered by means of end flange adjustment slots 53, and adjustment bolt assemblies 54 which engage feeder pan cross flanges 51 and 52, to permit adjustment of the height and width of the feed slot 29.

In the preferred embodiment, a vibratory drive unit 30 extends upwardly from the feeder pan 20 to provide a means for vibrating the feeder pan in a longitudinal direction. The illustrated drive unit 30 is an electromagnetic drive of known construction. The electromagnet, energized by pulsating current, attracts a spring-mounted armature mass connected to the feeder pan 20. The feeder pan 20 is pulled upwardly and forwardly with the armature mass. When the electromagnet is de-energized, internal springs return the armature mass and feeder pan to their original positions. This action is repeated 3,600 times per minute when operating from -cycle alternating current. Variable speed capabilities are provided by a rheostat control (not shown) which controls the current supplied to the electromagnet to govern the amplitude of vibration of the feeder pan. The rate of flow of the product on the feeder pan 20 will increase as the amplitude of vibration of the pan is increased.

The feeder pan 20 and vibratory drive unit 30 are suspended above the container conveyor 13 on support assemblies 31. A plurality of support brackets 32 are attached to the feeder pan 20 and the drive unit 30. Each support assembly 31 includes an elongated support bolt 33 which extends upwardly through a support bracket 32 to the filler assembly upper frame 12. A compression spring 34 encompasses each support bolt 33 between the head of the bolt and the support bracket 32 to provide a resilient and shock-absorbing mounting for the feeder pan 20 and drive unit 30 without restricting vibratory movement.

Vibration of the feeder pan 20 as previously described causes the particulate material to move longitudinally along the upper feed surface from beneath the product hopper 16 and metering gate lower edge 18a toward the discharge end 26 of the upper feed surface 22. FIG. 4 includes directional flow lines showing representative longitudinal paths followed by the particulate material on the upper feed surface. As shown by the directional feed lines, the flow of individual particles of material on the upper feed surface is essentially longitudinal so that it is possible to predict the point on the distributing edges 23, 24 and 25 at which a given particle will be discharged from the upper feed surface 22 by the transverse position of that particle on the upper feed surface in advance of said distributing edges.

As the particulate material on the upper feed surface 22 reaches the area of the distributing edges, the particulate material in the center of the upper feed surface 22 will fall over the transverse distributing edge 25 and through the lower elongated feed slot 29 into the containers 14 passing below that location. Preferably, the length of the transverse distributing edge 25 will be approximately equal to the narrowest width of the adjustable feed slot 29. Particulate material located to either side of the center portion of the upper feed surface will continue past the transverse distributing edge 25 until it reaches the portion of the diagonal distributing edges 23 or 24 which is in its longitudinal path of travel on the upper feed surface 22. At that point, the material will fall over the diagonal distributing edge 23 or 24 onto the lower feed surface 27 or 28 located directly below. Accordingly, particulate material will be distributed longitudinally along the length of each lower feed surface 27 and 28 by the diagonal distributing edges 23 and 24. Upon striking the transversely inclined lower feed surfaces 27 and 28, the particulate material will be carried downwardly by gravity and forwardly by the longitidunal vibrations of the feeder pan toward the lower feed edges 27a and 28a which guide the material through the elongated feed slot 29.

Because the longitudinal vibrations of the feeder pan 20 continue to impart some forward movement to the product particles on the lower feed surfaces 27 and 28, as described and as represented approximately by the directional arrows in FIG. 4, it is necessary that the lower feed surfaces 27 and 28 and the lower feed slot 29 extend longitudinally beyond the outer ends of the diagonal distributing edges 23 and 24 as shown, so that all of the product distributed longitudinally on the lower feed surfaces 27 and 28 will be fed uniformly through the feed slot 29. Accordingly, at any given instant, particulate material is being directed through the elongated feed slot along its entire length in a continuous manner. Since the particulate material is distributed across the horizontal upper feed surface in a substantially uniform manner due to the action of the metering gate 18, it can be seen that the diagonal edges 23 and 24 will cause the product to be distributed along the length of the transversely inclined lower feed surfaces 27 and 28 in a longitudinally uniform manner. Accordingly, product distribution will be substantially uniform along the entire length of the elongated feed slot 29.

Uniformity of product feed along the entire length of the elongated feed slot 29 is very important for achieving the controlled uniform fill of the containers passing beneath the slot in the direction shown by the directional arrow in FIG. 4. When filling round containers as shown, it is desirable that the elongated feed slot 29 be adjusted to the narrowest width which permits the containers to be filled with the particular product at the rate of speed desired without the possibility of underfilling containers. Generally, the narrower the feed slot 29 the less spillage of product will occur during the filling operation. The slot width, spillage and chance of underfill can be minimized for a given product and a given filling speed when the supply of product to the feed slot 29 is substantially uniform along the entire length of the slot. Accordingly, as each moving empty container 14 reaches the upstream end of the filling zone, which extends beneath the elongated slot 29 for its entire length, particulate material from the center of the upper feed surface 22 falls into the bottom of the container 14. As the container progresses along the length of the feed slot 29, it continues to receive the particulate product dropping through the feed slot in a substantially uniform manner so that the amount of product in the container progressively increases. One or more conventional vibrating units 55 are positioned beneath the drive belt 35 of the container conveyor 13 to vibrate the belt 35 and the container 14 at one or more points within the filling zone beneath the feed slot 29, so that the product is settled within the container to provide a fill of uniform density. The conveyor drive belt 35 is driven by a variable speed drive motor 36, and the speed of the drive motor 36 and the amplitude of the vibratory drive unit 30 are adjusted so that the rate of feed through the elongated slot 29 and the speed of the containers 14 on the conveyor 13 result in a slight overfill of the container 14 as it emerges from the filling zone beneath the feed slot 29. We have found that it is possible to closely control the level of fill or overfill within minimum tolerances by reason of the uniform product feed which can be achieved along the entire length of the feed slot 29 with our improved twostage feeder pan 20.

As the slightly overfilled containers 14 continue on the conveyor 13 beyond the filling zone beneath the elongated feed slot 29, they reach the overfill removal section of the conveyor 13. In the illustrated embodiment, the conveyor guide rails 37 which extend along each side of the conveyor 13 to engage and support the containers in an upright position on the conveyor drive belt 35 bent outwardly on one side of the conveyor have a tilting position 37a, at which they are to tilt the containers 14 from their normal upright position to a position at an angle to the vertical, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The guide rails on the opposite side of the container are angled in the same direction to force each overfilled container 14 into the described tilted position against the outwardly extending guide rails 37 for removal of excess product from the container. Additional conveyor vibrator means 55 located beneath the conveyor drive belt 35 at the location of the tilted containers 14 are then employed to vibrate the tilted containers to remove excess product in a known manner. The angle of tilt and the amplitude of the vibration are selected to remove from the container that portion of the contents which exceeds the final amount desired in the container. It should be understood that the illustrated and described means for removal of overfill is just one of several known means for overfill removal. See, for example, US. Pat. Nos. 2,719,661, 2,937,670, 3,298,404 and 3,556,172. Any suitable removal means may be employed with our conveyor 13.

The excess product which is removed by tilting and vibrating the containers l4 falls downwardly as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the return pan 38 which underlies the conveyor for the entire length of the filling zone and overfill removal section to provide means for receiving and returning the product which is spilled during the filling and overfill removal operations. The guide rails 37 return to their normal positions downstream from the tilt and overfill removal position, as shown in FIG. 1, to return the properly filled containers to their normal upright position for conveyance to subsequent operations in the canning or packaging process.

The return pan 38 is supported on flexible straps 39 which are attached to the lower frame 11 of the tilting apparatus. A shaker drive unit 40 engages the return pan 38 to vibrate the pan so that the particulate material received on the pan from spillage and excess product removal is conveyed back to a rotary ferris-wheel" elevator 43 driven by a motor 50 to provide the means for elevating the excess product and discharging it back into the feeder pan 20. The excess product is discharged into the rotary elevator 43 through a discharge opening 38a which extends across the entire width of the bottom of the return pan 38. A purge gate 41 is slideably mounted on the underside of the return pan 38. The purge gate is powered by an air cyinder 42 with conventional controls (not shown). In the event that a container 14 might be broken during the filling or excess product removal process so that pieces of foreign material would fall onto the return pan, or in the event that it is desired to change the grade or type of product which is being filled, the air cylinder may be actuated by means of the controls to slide the purge gate 41 across the discharge opening 38a to close the discharge opening and cause the material on the return pan to be conveyed through the rotary elevator 43 to the discharge end 38b of the return pan, where it is discharged from the machine without further recirculation. The purge gate 41 thus enables the operator to quickly empty the machine ofany undesired product or foreign material, and facilitates change-over from one product to another.

The rotary elevator 43 has a pair of spaced end rings 44 and 45 and a circumferential outer wall 46. A number of lifting blades 47 extend between the end walls 44 and 45 and the circumferential wall 46 to lift the product received from the return pan 38 upwardly as each lifting blade ascends from the bottom to the top of its travel duringrotation of the rotary elevator. As each lifting blade approaches the top of its travel, its position changes until the leading surface of the lifting blade faces downwardly, and the product lifted thereby is permitted to fall off the lifting blade onto the upper feed surface 22 of the feeder pan 20.

As the product returned to the upper feed surface 22 by the return pan 38 and rotary elevator 43 has already passed through one filling cycle, it is desirable that the returned product be directed into the containers in such a manner that it will not be ejected from the containers during subsequent excess product removal. Because of the high degree of control which is possible with our filling machine due to the uniform feed which can be obtained along the entire length of the feed slot, and the ability to coordinate the feed rate of the feeder pan with the speed at which the containers pass through the filling zone, there is very little spillage during our filling operation, and a minimum amount of overfill is necessary to assure that all containers receive at least enough product. Accordingly, the quantity of material returned to the upper feed surface 22 is relatively small in comparison to the amount of product being fed to the containers directly from the product hopper 16.

As previously mentioned, and as indicated by the directional flow lines on the feeder pan surface in FIG. 4, the flow of product on the upper feed surface 22 is substantially longitudinal. Accordingly, the product which is returned to the feeder pan 20 by the return pan 38 and rotary elevator 43 can be directed into the bottom portion of the containers being filled if it is deposited at or near the transverse center of the upper feed surface in substantially longitudinal alignment with the elongated feed slot 29. To provide means to that end, a return hopper 48 is positioned beneath the upper end of the rotary elevator 43. The discharge end of the return hopper 48 is preferably positioned above the upper surface 22 of the return pan 20 in longitudinal alignment with the elongated feed slot 29, as best shown in FIG. 2. If desired, the returned excess product may be directed by suitable return hopper means directly into the feed slot 29 at its upstream end, without first depositing it on the upper feed surface 22.

To insure that the product in the rotary elevator 43 is not discharged before it is elevated to the height of the return hopper 48, a stationary arcuate channel 49 is mounted, by means of support bracket 49a attached to the upper frame 12, adjacent to the inner edges of the rotary elevator end walls 44 and 45 on the ascending side of the rotary elevator to effectively close the elevator as the product is raised therein until the product reaches the desired area of discharge from the elevator 43. If the product has a tendency to spill over the lifting blade during its ascent in the elevator 43, the arcuate channel will prevent the product from being discharged from the conveyor or from dropping to the level of the next lifting blade 47, and the lifting blade will continue to carry the product upwardly on the arcuate channel 49 until the product reaches the desired discharge point, best shown in FIG. 2. Thus it can be seen that the relatively small percentage of product which is spilled during the filling process or subsequently removed from the containers as overfill will be directed back into the lower portion of succeeding containers soon after such containers have entered the filling zone beneath the upstream end of the feed slot 29, and will not be subject to removal from the containers during subsequent removal of excess product from the upper portion of overfilled containers. Accordingly, recycling of spillage and overfill in our filler apparatus is a one-time occurrence for any particular product particle, and repetitive recycling of product is substantially eliminated. It should be noted that with our improved two-stage feeder pan 20, the returned product can be directed to the bottom portion of the containers being filled without requiring any separate feeding mechanism. The return product is freely commingled with the product supplied directly from the product hopper l6 and is directed into the containers 14 within the normal filling zone defined by the single elongated feed slot 29.

Because of the predictability of flow from the upper feed surface 22 to the elongated slot 29 of our improved feeder pan, it is also possible to direct a particular portion of the material being filled into the upper portion of the containers during the filling operation. Thus, separate hopper means may be employed to direct a particular segment of the product being filled onto the upper feed surface 22 along one or both sides of the surface. As shown by the directional feed lines in FIG. 4, such product segment will then be directed through the feed slot 29 near the downstream end thereof. As previously noted, the containers will be nearly filled as they reach the downstream portion of the feed slot 29 and the product directed through the feed slot at that location will be directed into the upper portion of the containers. If multiple recycling is not a concern, any overfill removed from the upper portion of the container, which would consist in large part of the segment of the product directed into the upper por tion of the container near the downstream end of the feed slot 29, could be redirected to the upper portion of the container by displacing the outlet of the return hopper 48 to one side or the other of the upper feed surface 22.

It is understood that our invention is not limited to the particular construction or arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described but embraces all such modifications thereof as come within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for continuously filling containers with particulate material comprising:

a. a longitudinally extending feeder pan having a pair of lower feed surfaces and an upper feed surface,

b. said lower feed surfaces being transversely inclined toward each other and having longitudinally extending lower feed edges spaced to define an elongated feed slot,

0. said upper feed surface extending substantially horizontally and having a pair of diagonally extending distributing edges, each of said distributing edges overlying one of said lower feed surfaces for a substantial portion of its length,

d. means for longitudinally vibrating said feeder pan to continuously feed particulate material over said distributing edges and onto said lower feed surfaces, and over said lower feed edges of said elongated feed slot for receipt by said containers,

e. conveyor means for continuously conveying upright open end containers longitudinally beneath said elongated feed slot whereby each container will receive at least a desired amount of particulate material,

f. means for removing particulate material in excess of said desired amount from said containers on said conveyor,

g. a return pan underlying said conveyor means and said feed slot for receiving particulate material from said slot which is not received by a container and particulate material removed from said containers,

h. elevator means for receiving particulate material from said return pan and discharging said material above said feeder pan upper feed surface, and

i. hopper means for receiving particulate material discharged from said elevator means and directing said material onto a selected portion of said feeder pan.

2. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein the elongated feed slot has an upstream end and a downstream end, the conveyor means conveys the containers beneath said feed slot from said upstream end to said downstream end, and the hopper means directs returned product onto the feeder pan upper feed surface in substantially longitudinal alignment with said lower feed slot whereby said returned product will be discharged from said upper feed surface to the upstream end of said feed slot.

3. The apparatus described in claim 1 including means for distributing particulate material uniformly across said upper feed surface at a substantially uniform feed rate whereby said particulate material will be distributed on said lower feed surfaces by said distributing edges in a longitudinally uniform manner.

4. Apparatus for continuously feeding particulate material into moving open ended containers comprising, an elongated feeder pan having a substantially horizontal upper feed surface and at least onetransversely inclined lower feed surface, said upper feed surface having at least one distributing edge extending diagonally to the longitudinal, each said lower feed surface underlying a said distributing edge and having a longitudinally extending lower feed edge, and means for vibrating said feeder pan to continuously feed particulate material longitudinally along said upper feed surface and over said distributing edge onto said lower feed surface along a substantial portion of the length thereof, said material then being gravity fed transversely over said lower feed edge for receipt by said containers.

5. Apparatus for continuously feeding particulate material into moving open ended containers comprising,

a. a pairv of transversely inclined lower feed surfaces having longitudinally extending lower feed edges spaced to define an elongated feed slot,

b. an upper feed surface extending substantially horizontally and having a pair of distributing edges extending diagonally to the longitudinal in diverging relation, each of said distributing edges overlying one of said lower feed surfaces,

c. means for longitudinally vibrating said feed surfaces to continuously feed particulate material from said upper feed surface over said distributing edges onto said lower feed surfaces along a substantial portion of the length thereof, and from said lower feed surfaces over said lower feed edges along the length of said elongated feed slot for receipt by said containers.

6. The apparatus described in claim 5 including means for distributing particulate material evenly across said upper feed surface to provide substantially uniform product distribution along the length of said lower feed surfaces.

7. The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein the lower feed surfaces are adjustable to change the width of said elongated feed slot. 

1. Apparatus for continuously filling containers with particulate material comprising: a. a longitudinally extending feeder pan having a pair of lower feed surfaces and an upper feed surface, b. said lower feed surfaces being transversely inclined toward each other and having longitudinally extending lower feed edges spaced to define an elongated feed slot, c. said upper feed surface extending substantially horizontally and having a pair of diagonally extending distributing edges, each of said distributing edges overlying one of said lower feed surfaces for a substantial portion of its length, d. means for longitudinally vibrating said feeder pan to continuously feed particulate material over said distributing edges and onto said lower feed surfaces, and over said lower feed edges of said elongated feed slot for receipt by said containers, e. conveyor means for continuously conveying upright open end containers longitudinally beneath said elongated feed slot whereby each container will receive at least a desired amount of particulate material, f. means for removing particulate material in excess of said desired amount from said containers on said conveyor, g. a return pan underlying said conveyor means and said feed slot for receiving particulate material from said slot which is not received by a container and particulate material removed from said containers, h. elevator means for receiving particulate material from said return pan and discharging said material above said feeder pan upper feed surface, and i. hopper means for receiving particulate material discharged from said elevator means and directing said material onto a selected portion of said feeder pan.
 2. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein the elongated feed slot has an upstream end and a downstream end, the conveyor means conveys the containers beneath said feed slot from said upstream end to said downstream end, and the hopper means directs returned product onto the feeder pan upper feed surface in substantially longitudinal alignment with said lower feed slot whereby said returned product will be discharged from said upper feed surface to the upstream end of said feed slot.
 3. The apparatus described in claim 1 including means for distributing particulate material uniformly across said upper feed surface at a substantially uniform feed rate whereby said particulate material will be distributed on said lower feed surfaces by said distributing edges in a longitudinally uniform manner.
 4. Apparatus for continuously feeding particulate material into moving open ended containers comprising, an elongated feeder pan having a substantially horizontal upPer feed surface and at least one transversely inclined lower feed surface, said upper feed surface having at least one distributing edge extending diagonally to the longitudinal, each said lower feed surface underlying a said distributing edge and having a longitudinally extending lower feed edge, and means for vibrating said feeder pan to continuously feed particulate material longitudinally along said upper feed surface and over said distributing edge onto said lower feed surface along a substantial portion of the length thereof, said material then being gravity fed transversely over said lower feed edge for receipt by said containers.
 5. Apparatus for continuously feeding particulate material into moving open ended containers comprising, a. a pair of transversely inclined lower feed surfaces having longitudinally extending lower feed edges spaced to define an elongated feed slot, b. an upper feed surface extending substantially horizontally and having a pair of distributing edges extending diagonally to the longitudinal in diverging relation, each of said distributing edges overlying one of said lower feed surfaces, c. means for longitudinally vibrating said feed surfaces to continuously feed particulate material from said upper feed surface over said distributing edges onto said lower feed surfaces along a substantial portion of the length thereof, and from said lower feed surfaces over said lower feed edges along the length of said elongated feed slot for receipt by said containers.
 6. The apparatus described in claim 5 including means for distributing particulate material evenly across said upper feed surface to provide substantially uniform product distribution along the length of said lower feed surfaces.
 7. The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein the lower feed surfaces are adjustable to change the width of said elongated feed slot. 